How to Test for Celiac Disease
There are three ways to test for celiac disease: get a blood test, have a biopsy of the small intestine, and follow a gluten free diet for a short time.
A blood test to check for the presence of certain antibodies is necessary to diagnose celiac disease. People with celiac disease have high levels of anti-tissue transglutaminase, anti-gliadin, and anti-endomysium. When someone has celiac disease, their body is treating gluten like a foreign substance and produces antibodies to fight it.
You can test for celiac disease with a small intestinal biopsy. In this test, the doctor will insert a thin tube down through your esophagus, stomach, and into the small intestine. A small sample of tissue will be collected and examined under a microscope to look for damaged villi.
Another test for celiac disease is to follow a gluten free diet for a week or so and see if symptoms decrease. If so, you will then eat something with gluten and see if the symptoms reoccur. A doctor will instruct you to avoid this diet check right before having a blood test or biopsy for celiac since the diet can interfere with the results of the blood test and biopsy.
Symptoms of Celiac Disease
Let’s look at what celiac disease is and its symptoms so you will know when and how to test for the disease. Symptoms include:
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Pain
- Gas
- Thin bones
- Headaches
- Bloating
- Fatigue
- Mouth sores
- Irritability
- Weight loss
Celiac disease is difficult to diagnose because these symptoms are also the symptoms for numerous other conditions such as: Crohn’s disease, diverticulosis, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and intestinal infections.
It is estimated that 1 in 133 Americans have celiac disease. It is a genetic disease and is also called gluten intolerance. When a person with celiac disease eats gluten, there is an immune response to it. It has toxic effects in the small intestine. The villi in the small intestine, which absorb nutrients, are damaged. This results in the nutrients in food not being absorbed and the person will suffer from the effects of malnutrition.
What Is Gluten?
Gluten comes from the Latin word for glue, which describes it somewhat as it can have an elastic and sticky texture. It is found in grains like rye, wheat, and barley. Gluten is a combination of glutelin and prolamin and is a very good source of protein.
Gluten is extracted from the starch of the grain, made into a powder, and is then used in the production of many foods. It gives texture to baked goods, like flaky pie crusts or chewy bagels. Because it binds, stabilizes, or thickens foods, it is used to make many vegan dishes, imitation meat products, sauces, gravies, pudding, ice cream, catsup, candy, and soup.
Avoiding Gluten
All of these foods that were mentioned would have to be given up if you need to go gluten free. Anything made with wheat, rye, or barley flour could not be eaten, like pasta and bread. You would have to read labels carefully and avoid food starch, vegetable protein, malt zest, and glucose syrup. Look for the Coeliac and Dermatitis Herpetiformis Charity Cross Grain Symbol on the label, as well as the words “gluten free.”
A gluten free diet does not mean you have to give up breads and pasta. Those can be made from rice, soy, potato, or bean flour. You can find gluten-free products in the store, and you can consume fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish. Another thing to do is to go online and check out the many gluten-free recipes available on the Internet such as those available at All Recipes or Gluten Free Cooking.